This invention relates to welder's masks. It pertains particularly to welder's masks having eye pieces which are shielded from rain.
In the welding trade a problem is presented in that it is difficult for the welder to work under rainy conditions because of rain falling on the eye piece of his mask and impairing his vision. It accordingly is necessary for him to stop work at frequent intervals and clean the eye piece.
This is difficult because the conventional eye piece contains at least three lenses contained in a housing which permits access of rain water to the areas between the lenses. Accordingly, it is necessary for the welder to disassemble the eye piece, wipe each lens dry, and reassemble the eye piece before he can proceed.
This is so time consuming that it is conventional for welders to cease work in rainy weather, or to work under shelters especially provided.
Prior art patents addressed to a solution of this problem include the following:
______________________________________ Krogel U.S. Pat. No. 2,394,388 SHIELD FOR WELDER'S HELMETS Boyd U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,477 SHIELD FOR WELDER'S HELMETS Tate U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,478 HEAD PIECE Wenzel U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,220 WELDER'S MASK ______________________________________
The foregoing and other prior art references have not been successful, however, in overcoming the various problems attending the use of a welder's mask in rainy weather and it accordingly is the primary object of the present invention to provide such a mask which effectively shields the mask eye piece from rain in both raised and lowered positions of the mask and in various positions of the welder's head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rain shield for a welder's mask which may be taken off easily when not needed and put back on when needed.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a rain shield for a welder's mask which may be applied to the various conventional head pieces used by welders, including hard hats and simple head bands, or hard hat liners.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a welding helmet rain shield which, as opposed to one actuated by means of a counter weight, is positively driven between its raised and lowered positions.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a welding helmet rain shield driven between its raised and lowered positions by the relative angular movement of the mask and head piece.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a welding helmet rain shield which effectively shields the mask eye piece in both the raised and lowered positions of the shield.
Still another object of this invention is the provision of a welder's mask having a rain shield which in its operative position permits removal of the eye piece as required when the welder wishes to chip off the slag from his weld with the welding hood down and the welding shield up.
The foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished by means of a welder's mask assembly which, generally stated, comprises a head piece, a welder's mask with an eye piece, and first pivotal mounting means attaching the mask to the head piece for relative angular movement between raised operative and lowered inoperative mask positions.
The assembly includes also a rain shield and second pivotal mounting means mounting the rain shield on the mask above the eye piece for angular movement between a rain shield raised position in which it extends substantially horizontally above the eye piece when the mask is lowered, and a rain shield lowered position in which it overlies the eye piece when the mask is raised. Substantially rigid link means interconnects the head piece and the rain shield and is operative to shift the rain shield between its raised and lowered positions upon relative angular movement of the mask and head piece.